Semi-quantitative analyses of metabolic systems of human colon cancer metastatic xenografts in livers of superimmunodeficient NOG mice

Analyses of energy metabolism in human cancer have been difficult because of rapid turnover of the metabolites and difficulties in reducing time for collecting clinical samples under surgical procedures. Utilization of xenograft transplantation of human-derived colon cancer HCT116 cells in spleens of superimmunodeficient NOD/SCID/IL-2Rγ^null (NOG) mice led us to establish an experimental model of hepatic micrometastasis of the solid tumor, whereby analyses of the tissue sections collected by snap-frozen procedures through newly developed microscopic imaging mass spectrometry (MIMS) revealed distinct spatial distribution of a variety of metabolites. To perform intergroup comparison of the signal intensities of metabolites among different tissue sections collected from mice in fed states, we combined matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOF-IMS) and capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry (CE–MS), to determine the apparent contents of individual metabolites in serial tissue sections. The results indicated significant elevation of ATP and energy charge in both metastases and the parenchyma of the tumor-bearing livers. To note were significant increases in UDP-N-acetyl hexosamines, and reduced and oxidized forms of glutathione in the metastatic foci versus the liver parenchyma. These findings thus provided a potentially important method for characterizing the properties of metabolic systems of human-derived cancer and the host tissues in vivo.     

Transverse excitations in liquid Ga

The transverse acoustic excitation modes were detected by inelastic x-ray scattering in liquid Ga in the Q range above 9?nm^?1 although liquid Ga is mostly described by a hard-sphere liquid. An ab initio molecular dynamics simulation clearly supports this finding. From the detailed analysis for the S(Q,ω) spectra with a good statistic quality, the lifetime of 0.5 ps and the propagating length of 0.4–0.5?nm can be estimated for the transverse acoustic phonon modes, which may correspond the lifetime and size of cages formed instantaneously in liquid Ga. The microscopic Poisson’s ratio estimated from the dynamic velocities of sound is 0.42, indicating a rubber-like soft elastic property of the cages.     

Theoretical Study of Hydrated Cd~（2＋） Interactions with Guanine

Theoretical study was performed to investigate how the hydration of cadmium ca-tion influences the structure and properties of guanine.The aqueous environment was simulated by both explicit solvent(1-5 water molecules) model and implicit solvent model.For complexes in which Cd2+ attached to the N(7) and O(6) sites of guanine,energy analysis together with the Natural Bonding Orbital(NBO) analysis were performed to elucidate the bonding characteristics in detail.The most stable structures are penta-coordinate complexes without aqua ligand located at the guanine site.Higher number of water ligands corresponds to higher stabilization energies.Average bonding energies of G-Cd increase with the number of water molecules.Bonding energies of water ligands depend on its position in the complexes.The charge distribution of guanine changed with increasing the number of water ligands,which may also influence the base-pairing pattern of guanine.There is positive charge transfer from guanine to aqua ligand as the number of the hydration waters increases.IEFPCM optimization has results comparable to the [CdG(H2O)5]2+ structure 5a.     

Chemical Modification of the N Termini of Unprotected Peptides for Semisynthesis of Modified Proteins by Utilizing a Hydrophilic Protecting Group

A simple and efficient strategy for the selective modification of the peptide N terminus with an unnatural amino acid is described. A peptide having a SUMO-HisTag-TEV sequence (SUMO: small ubiquitin-related modifier, TEV: tobacco etch virus) preceding the N terminus of the target peptide was designed. Recombinant expression in E. coli and subsequent SUMO protease cleavage yielded the HisTag-TEV-target peptide. Partial protection of the lysine side chains of this peptide with d -glucopyranosyloxycarbonyl and removal of the HisTag-TEV sequence by TEV protease yielded the partially protected peptide with a free N-terminal amine. Coupling of selenocysteine selectively at the N terminus and subsequent acidic deprotection of the carbohydrate protecting groups yielded a modified peptide that can be used for native chemical ligation (NCL). As a proof of concept, the modification of a longer recombinant peptide with selenocysteinylserine (GalNAc) at the N terminus was demonstrated.     

Preparation and Storage of Silver Nanoparticles in Aqueons Polymers

以水溶性聚合物为保护剂,采用化学还原法制备了银纳米粒子,分别利用透射电子显微镜、紫外可见光谱、同步光散射光谱等手段对其进行了表征,并探索了制备银纳米粒子的最佳实验条件。通过将银纳米粒子-聚合物溶液进行脱水,得到含有银纳米粒子的固态聚合物膜。将固态聚合物膜重新溶解于水,其水溶液的紫外可见光谱与脱水前的溶液进行了比较,发现两者性质并无明显差异。因此,将银纳米粒子分散固定在聚合物膜中是一种崭新而有效的银纳米粒子制备和存储方法。     

Microstructure Observations for Diffusion Induced Recrystallization and Diffusion Induced Grain Boundary Migration on Surfaces of Zincified Cu Bicrystals With [1 1 0] Twist Boundaries

The formation behavior of the fine-grain region alloyed with Zn due to diffusion induced recrystallization (DIR) in the Cu(Zn) system was experimentally examined for the surfaces polished in different manners using a Cu bicrystal containing a [1 1 0] twist boundary with a misorientation angle of = 46° zincified at 673 K for 2.88 × 10⁴ s with Cu-15 wt% Zn and Cu-30 wt% Zn alloys by a capsule zincification technique. The extent and morphology of the fine-grain DIR region vary depending on the surface conditions and the composition of the Zn-source Cu-Zn alloy. For the specimen with the surface electrolytically polished in an etchant consisting of 20 vol% of nitric acid and 80 vol% of methanol, no DIR region was formed on the whole surface when the Cu-15 wt% Zn alloy was used as a Zn source.In order to observe the morphology of the moving grain boundary owing to diffusion induced grain boundary migration (DIGM) without influences of DIR, Cu bicrystals with [1 1 0] twist boundaries of = 32 ( 27), 39 ( 9), 46, 51 ( 11) and 55° were electrolytically polished in the etchant mentioned above. The polished Cu bicrystals were zincified at 673 K for 2.88 × 10⁴ s using the Cu-15 wt% Zn alloy as a Zn source. Remarkable surface relief and clear slip bands were recognized on the surfaces due to DIGM for the specimens with the 32 ( 27) and 46° boundaries. The moving boundary became zigzag owing to the slip bands parallel to the moving direction. On the other hand, such surface relief and slip bands were not observed for the specimens with the 39 ( 9), 51 ( 11) and 55° boundaries. The moving boundary was considerably irregular for = 39° whereas rather smooth for = 51 ( 11) and 55°. The migration behavior of the grain boundary was not affected by the interruption of the zincification.     

STUDY ON TARGET RESIDUES FROM THE INTERACTION OF COPPER WITH 44MeV/A12C IONS

Cross sections and average forward ranges were determined for 35 target residues from the interaction of copper with 44MeV/A¹²C ions with nuclear chemistry techniques.From these data the isobaric yield distribution,the mass yield distribution and the longitudinal momentum transfer were obtained.The mass yield distribution and the isobaric yield distribution are in good agreement with those calculated from a modified statistical model and corresponding Monte Carlo technique.     

STUDY OF πNN VERTEX FROM HADRON AND QUARK POINT OF VIEW

we have identified the first-order mixing amplitude of πNN process described by the hadron model with the second-order mixing amplitude of the same process described by the quark model.Then the expression for the coupling constant f_π of the πNN vertex with different quark wave functions and gluon propagators in different approximations has been derived. The calculation results of f_π have been compared with experimental data.     

Nuclear Liquid-Gas Phase Transition Shown in Multifragment ation

The Incomplete-Fusion-nagmentation Model has been used to reproduce nicely the experimental evidence of liquid-gas phase transition probed in the reaction of Au + Au at 600A MeV. The analysis of the relative yields of decay modes for the projectile remnant as a function of bound> shows clearly the competition and transformation processes of various decay modes of projectile remnant with decreasing of bound>. The agreement between theoretical and experimental results for the anaJysis of relative yield of decay modes indicates that the experimental evidence of liquid-gas phase transition is composed of the decay mode transformations.     

Macroporous Morphology of the Titania Films Prepared by a Sol-Gel Dip-Coating Method from the System Containing Poly(ethylene glycol). IV. General Principle of Morphology Formation and Effect of Heat Treatment

The variation of macroscopic morphology of the titania (TiO₂) films has been studied at various dipping conditions for a sol-gel dip-coating system containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The variation of macroscopic morphology is understood consistently by considering both the volume fraction of solvent phase during the phase separation and the water to alkoxide ratio in the sol film. The gel film shrinks and the average pore diameter increases concurrently with the thermal decomposition of PEG while the morphology depends less on the crystallization of titania gel.